This winery is situated in a cave, which makes the wine tasting experience a little different, but pretty cool. Everyone was really nice. Like a lot of wineries, they charge $10 for a tasting fee, but at Bella you get to do much more than just sampling wine. The tasting tour began with the pairing of a Rosé with some portuguese sausage and some friend plantains. You then proceed to the wine caves, which were filled with live Spanish guitar music.
In 1980, Robert Mark Kamen came to Sonoma to celebrate the sale of his first screen play. While hiking the rugged hillsides of the Southern Mayacamas Mountians, Robert came upon a piece of property with breathtaking views of the San Francisco Bay. Remote, rugged, and without roads, water or electricity, the 280 acres had an immediate visceral impact on Robert. A week later the property was his. Inky, robust Cabs, just the way I like them. 2005 or 2006, I was having a hard time determining which one I liked better. Just great - these are wines I could drink regularly. Of course, they cost $100/bottle, and aren't all that common - so my desire to regularly drink the '05 Cab will definitely be squashed by price and availability.
Acorn Winery is a small family winery in Healdsburg, appointment only . We were there for about 1.5 hours talking and tasting with the owners, who were super-friendly. Their wine is very good.~ Art work by Wine Artist Agata Zaborowski – Agata Art Gallery
Windsor Oaks estate is open to the public only eighteen days a year. They do offer limited VIP tasting and tours.In an wine tasting event that sadly has become increasingly all about tour buses, limos, bridal parties and frat boys guzzling Coors Light in the parking lots, many wineries struggled to find the right balance of paying attention to those that were there to focus on the art of winemaking, and those that were there to party. The folks at Windsor Oaks rose above and created a memory for all in attendance. Special thanks goes to winemaker Julie Hagler Lumgair, who climbed atop a second tier barrel, and from above, shared a taste of yet another wine "off the list"...her passion, expertise, warmth, and generosity.
Sky Vineyards strives to incorporate sustainable practices into the cultivation of the vines and operation of the winery. Responsible practices include use of permanent cover crops, dry farming, promotion of bird and beneficial insects, and use of organic or low impact pesticides and fertilizers. The resulting intensely flavored fruit is then hand-harvested and fermented in open top one-ton bins. Punch down is performed by hand three times per day. After fermentation, it is pressed in a traditional basket press and aged in French oak barrels.
The pourer is very knowledgable and passionate about their wines. I give the wine maker a lot of credit for his focus on single vineyard, single varietal wines. I thought all the wines were well made. The place is located in like an office facility / storage unit looking type building, so if you're looking for like rolling hills with neat rows of grape bushes, you have come to the wrong place. (Shouldn't be a dealbreaker necessarily in my opinion-- but I feel it's worth noting.) They also do a little tour of their facility where they show you some of the machines that are used to make the wine.
When the famous actor, Raymond Burr, first took an interest in permaculture, and purchased the land near Healdsburg, California, he didn’t then know how fruitfully the future would unfold.
Burr is best remembered for his long-standing TV series “Perry Mason” and later “Ironside,” and since the planting of the vineyard, it has flourished producing grapes which were eventually turned into award-winning wines. While none of the original inventory was left after the sale of the vineyard, to continue Mr. Burr’s legacy we will be offering different varietals of delicious wines! Come by and taste for yourself.
Great spot to bring your own picnic while enjoying the wine - many tables and a pretty view. Friendly staff. Good wine.
Porter Creek Vineyards began its journey in 1978 when founder George R. Davis acquired the estate, which included young Pinot Noir vines, some of which continue to produce today at 45 years old. Davis initially focused on enhancing the existing vineyards before planting the remaining available acreage. By 1982, he had successfully secured one of the property's old barns for wine production, marking a pivotal moment for Pinot Noir in the Russian River Valley.
In 1983, the Russian River Valley was officially designated as an American Viticultural Area (AVA), a period when only a few were investing in Pinot Noir. Despite the prevailing skepticism about Pinot Noir’s potential in the region, with his banker and farm advisor urging him to plant more Chardonnay instead, Davis remained committed to his vision.
Primarily a self-taught winemaker, George Davis was a voracious reader, immersing himself in literature on winemaking techniques and Burgundian winegrower philosophies. He engaged in numerous discussions with local winemakers and rented part of his winery to others, gaining invaluable insights and experience from these interactions.
A classy place to taste the bubbly, sample super-gourmet treats, take a tour, or join a class, J specializes in sparkling wine and has a dazzling showroom for visitors. Check out the gardens, drink in the view, and be ready for plenty of tiny bubbles.
The staff here was not your typical in-your-face, super-upseller, super high energy and friendly type of pourer-- but she was very helpful, sweet and laid back which was kind of nice for a change. The room itself is worth the stop! All the hand carved wood--surrounding the barrel-made bar in the middle of the room, the tasting bar, and the walls is beautiful. The wood gives this place a super relaxing, comfortable cozy wine tasting environment.
